Deck button



Nov. 15, 1966 w. L. BLACKBURN 3,285,572

DECK BUTTON Filed June 28, 1965 f v 2) 2 s United States Patent Oiiice3,285,572 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 3,285,572 DECK BUTTON Filed June 28,1965, Ser. No. 467,600 4 Claims. (Cl. 254-150) This inventionconstitutes a coutinuation-in-part of my co-pending application entitledAnti-Friction Rotatable Button, Serial No. 259,922, filed February 20,1963, which is in turn a continuation-in-part of my application entitledRotatable Button for Barges and the Like, Serial No. 123,206, filed Julyl1, 1961, both now abandoned.

The present invention relates to an improved button which is rotatableand includes retainer and thrust bearings, and is particularly suitedfor attachment to the deck of a barge or the like, as a deck fitting forrigging barges and two boats together, and a method of locking suchabutton.

Prior devices of this general nature, which are variously called chocks,cheek blocks, bitts, bollards, mooring posts, or spools, have beensuggested which utilize spindles and pulleys about which wire rope orcable is passed when rigging together and guiding the movement of bargesor other vessels. These prior devices have generally consisted of arod-like spindle which is bolted to the deck and about which isrotatably mounted a pulley or grooved wheel. Due to their manner ofconstruction, these prior devices have not been utilized when tyingtrains of barges together, for they have all been inherently incapableof withstanding the tremendous strain placed thereon when navigating thebarges throughout the various inland waterways. The rolling chock,however, has been so utilized, and is capable of handling the straininvolved because not only is the bottom of the spindle attached to thedeck, but also the top of the spindle by an appropriate overlying arm.The very presence of this arm limits the potential of the rolling chock,for to utilize the cable in all directions, it is necessary to manuallyfeed the cable between the arm and the pulley. This, of course,considerably increases the time required to make an appropriateconnection.

Further, all of the prior devices have suffered the distinctdisadvantage of not being watertight, consequently when a wave passesover the chock, water penetrates to the spindle, causing rust which inturn freezes the rotating pulley and renders the chock no more effectivethan a simple post welded to the deck.

In view of these factors, present vessels utilize a nonrotatable buttonwhich is welded or bolted to the deck, since this button can be madequite strong and is usable in any direction. Further, having no movingparts, there is nothing to freeze. To utilize these buttons, cables arewrapped thereabout and tightened by\ an appropriate winch or steamboatratchet. After slack is removed from the cable, considerable frictiondevelops between the button and cable. Therefore, time and energy arewasted in attempting to tighten the cable and induce it to slip freelyon the buttons.

The button of the present invention Iovercomes these objections byproviding a hollow tubular spindle of `a substantially greater diameterthan that heretofore utilized. Further, the spindle is so constructedthat it is externally welded to the deck of a vessel, thus assuring thatthe wire rope or cable will part before the button of the presentinvention will tear loose from the deck. Rotatably mounted on thetubular spindle, in a manner to be hereinafter described, is at leastone pulley suitably grooved to engage rigging cable. Further, the pulleyis so constructed as to eliminate the introduction of trash or debrisbetween the pulley, spindle, and deck. Further, provision is made forpositive lubrication of the journal bearing which is included betweenthe spindle and pulley. Additionally, all snagging projections areeliminated by the present invention, and since no arm is used, thebutton of the present invention is capable of use from all horizontaldirections.

Still further, the button of the present invention includes retainerbearings which may be either ball or roller, and so constructed that thepulley will rotate freely on the spindle, and further so constructedtha-t if tying or shock force is applied to the pulley, the retainerbearings will not be damaged. Additionally, provision is made in thepresent invention to prevent the entrance of water into the bearingarea, even when the button is totally submerged, as is often the case inrough weather. Still further, the present invention comprises a buttonwhich is tamper free, and thus eliminates one of the more vexingproblems facing barge owners whose unsupervised equipment includesvaluable accessories. In order to secure these advantages, the presentinvention is so made that it must be welded to the deck, and may not beremoved therefrom without a great deal of effort, typically such as bycutting free with an appropriate cutting torch.

It is, therefore, among the general objects of the present invention toprovide a button having each of the enumerated advantages mentionedabove and none of the disadvantages associated with prior artstructures.

lt is a particular object of the present invention to provide arotatable button capable of standing the tremendous strain encounteredwhen connecting and navigating barges or the like together upon theinland and ocean waterways, and which button includes no snaggingprojections, a feature of particular benefit during rigging.

Often in rigging trains of barges together it is found that the decksof'adjacent barges are at different elevations. Consequently, therigging cables must lie at an angle with the horizontal. If the upwardangle is too greatthe cable will slip over the usual chock. On the otherhand, if the rotatable deck button of the present invention is used,there is considerable strain imposed Von the retainer means. To solvethis problem, the present invention also provides an optional taperedbase so that the forward end of the button is raised upwardly to reducestrain on the retainer.

Yet another object of the presentv invention is to provide a rotatablebutton having the foregoing advantages, which may also include twoindependent pulleys thereon.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a methodfor introducing the retainer bearing elements between the pulleyv andspindle, thereby providing a product heretofore uncontemplated in thebarge rigging art.

Other and further objects, features, and advantages will be apparentfrom the following description ofthe presently preferred embodiments ofthe present inven-tion, given for the purpose of disclosure, and takenin `conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characterreferences designate like parts throughout the several views and where:

FIGURE l is a partial perspective view showing the button of the presentinvention when utilized to draw ltogether two barges during rigging.

yresents a second vessel or barge. '14 of each barge is the button 16 ofthe present invenland in some manner must be overcome.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional side view of an embodiment of the presentinvention wherein one race of ball bearings is utilized as a retainer,and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional side view of a modified embodiment of thepresent invention wherein two distinct rotatable pulleys are shown andillustrating the tapered base.

Generally, the present invention comprises a heavy tubular spindle whichis welded to the deck plating, and upon which is mounted, by means'ofretainer bearings, a rotatable pulley in a watertight manner, includingseveral modilications or additions, as well as a method for locking arotatable deck button to the deck of a barge, or the like.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 wherein a partial perspective View shows theuse of .the buttons of Athe presen-t invention, the reference numeralgenerally designates a rst vessel or barge, while the numeral 12Igenerally rep- Mounted on the deck tion. Suitably att-ached to .thedeck 14 of the barge 10 is a cable tightening means, here shown -as asteamboat ratchet 18 to which is attached a wire rope or cable 20 whichis w-ound about the buttons 16, finally terminating in a loop 22. Thus,it is readily seen that to draw -the barges 10 and 12 tightly together,in order to make up a train of barges, it is only necessary to actuatethe conventional steamboat ratchet 18, thus tightening the cable 20. In.this connection, however, it is well to note that if non-rotatableprior fart buttons were utilized the friction imposed on the cable 20 inattempting to pull it toward the steamboat ratchet 18 would beconsiderable, This is, of course, one of .the objects of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 1 also illustrates a typical situation wherein barge 10 is loadedand sits lower in the water than barge 12, which is light. The tendencyfor the cable 20 to slip over the buttons 16 may be solved, inaccordance with the present invention, by .tilting the button 16. Thismodification is described further hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, it is seen that the button 16 generallycomprises right cylindrical or tubular spindle 24 having a base 25 withwelding flange whose perimeter is solidly welded to the deck 14 as shownby .the Weld bead 26. In order to give some idea of the size of theparts involved, the outside diameter yof the spindle 24 flange isgenerally 12 inches or greater. It is to be noted 4that the spindle 24includes a hollow core 28 adjacent to the deck 14, which does not extendthrough the top of the spindle 24.

Placed over and sliding upon the spindle 24, and in rotatable journalbearing relationship therewith, is the pulley 30. The pulley 30 includesa cable groove 32 which is designed to 'accommodate the cable 20, Vandit is further to be noted that the pulley 30 includes anobstruction-free top 34 whose major diameter is substantially equal tothat 0f the weld bead 26. Mounted centrally in the top 34 of the pulley30 is a grease hole 36 into which may be screwed a standard pipe plug38, or other conventional grease plugging means.

Placed between the pulley 30 Iand the spindle 24 is a retainer meanssuch as the series of ball bearings 40, which tit into a generallysemi-circular groove 42 about the upper periphery of the spindle 24 anda similar mating groove 44 within the pulley 30, thus defining a bearingrace. It is to be noted that the row of balls 40` is adjacent to theupper extremity of `the spindle 24, and not in the center or below .therbearing area between the pulley 30 and -spindle 24. The reason for thisis to prevent the inclusion of yrust and debris should the deck withbutton be submerged.

When a cable 20 is wrapped around the pulley 30 in the groove 32 and thecable is tightened by the steamboat ratchet 18, or in -any -otherconventional manner, the pulley 30 will rotate about the spindle 24because of their t as a journal bearing. Because of the large size ofthe journal bearing, the button is able to easily withstand aconsiderable static land rolling load, as well as a sudden shoe-k lead.The clearance between the grooves 42 and 44 on the spindle 24 .andpulley 30 is somewhat larger than the diameter of the ball bearings 40,so as to insure that no load is transmitted from the pulley 32 throughthe ball bearings 40y to the spindle 24. Instead, all horizontal loadingis through-the .sliding journal bearing, Athereby preventing deformationof the ball bearings 40.

Of course, -the -ball bearings 40 do serve as a retaining means to holdthe pulley 30 on the spindle 24 and also as thrust bearings when anupward load is impressed on the pulley. The provision -of a rotatablebutton considerably reduces cable friction, and by actual test hasincreased make up efficiency by a factor of four. The present invention,therefore, advantageously reduces the friction necessary to draw twovessels together and at the same time provides for severe shock loading.Q

'I'he ball bearings 40 are inserted into the grooves 42 and 44 betweenthe spindle 24 and pulley 30l from the top 34 of -the pulley 30. 'Thisis accomplished by drilling a hole 46 from .the top 34 of the pulley 30to the mating grooves 42 and 44. It will be noted that this hole 46 mustalso cu-t away a portion of the lip 48 which extends about the top ofthe spindle 24 above its groove 42. Thereupon, the ball bearings 40 aredropped into the hole 46 and thus fall into the mating grooves 42 and 44defining the retainer race. Thereupon, the ball bearings 40 are movedout of the way, in a conventional manner, as by rotating the pulley 30on the .spindle 24, and vadditional ball bearings 40 are inserted untilthe retainer race or mating grooves 42 and 44 are substantially filledwith ball bearings 40. Thereupon, to prevent the entrance of debris, andto maintain watertightness, a plug 50 is inserted into the hole 46. Itis preferred that the lit between the plug 50 and hole 46 be aninterference tit, although c-onventional screw threads might beutilized. Placed over the ltop of the plug 50 and flush with the top 34of ythe pulley 30 is a filler 52.

Yet another method of inserting the ball bearings 40 into the racedefined by the grooves 42 and 44 is to drill a horizontal or downwardlyinclined hole 54 from the groove 42 in the upper part of the spindle 24through to the core 28 within ythe spindle 24. Whereupon, the individualball bearings 40 may be pushed from inside the core 28 through the hole54 into the retainer race defined by the grooves 42 and 44 in a mannersimilar to that previously described with reference to hole 46. Afterthe retainer race is substantially lilled with ball bearings 40, thehole 54 is plugged in a conventional manner, as by -using the screw 56.

After the ball bearings 40 have been placed in the race, the rotatabledeck button of the present invention is made ready for use simply bywelding the bead 26 between the deck plate 14 and the spindle 24. Inthis condition, it will be noted that the ball bearings once in placemay not be removed, without cutting the button 16 from the deck 14.Therefore, this manner of construction advantageously results in atamper-proof rotatable button 16 which may not be removed withoutconsiderable dii- `culty.

The ball bearings 40, in addition to providing vertical thrust bearingsfor the rotatable button 16 also provide a method of permanently lockingthe pulley 30 to the spindle 24. In other words, it is impossible toremove the pulley 30 from the spindle 24 without shearing the numerousballs 40 in the ball bearing race due to the lip 48. Furthermore, nosnagging projections or obstructions extend from the present invention,and the entire device is mounted above deck.

After the rotatable button has been welded to the deck 14, the pipe plug38 is removed from the hole 36 and a conventional grease gun fitted sothat the bearing surface between the pulley 30 and the spindle 24 arefilled with grease. Whereupon, the pipe plug 38 is replaced in the topofthe pulley 30. In this condition it will be noted that if the deck 14is submerged, water cannot enter into the bearing area between theinside of the pulley 30 and the spindle 24, for in order for the waterto enter, any air or grease within the bearing area must be displaced.As the pulley 30 is watertight, there is no exit for the air or greaseentrapped therein. Consequently, rotatable deck button in the presentinvention is watertight. Further, being watertight, there is no methodof introducing trash or debris between the pulley 30 and the spindle 24.Likewise, it is apparent that there are no projections extending fromthe pulley 30, and consequently there is no likelihood of snagging t-heworkman or a cable.

Finally, the heavy walled construction of the spindle 24 provides anextremely sturdy button 16 which may not Ibe dismantled nor accidentallyremoved from the deck 14, and which will withstand extreme shockloading.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, another embodiment of the present inventionis shown with various modioations. Ink the embodiment of FIGURE 3 itwill be noted that there is an upper pulley 30a as well as a lowerpulley 3017. Each of the pulleys is mounted on the spindle 24 in amanner virtually identical to that previously described with referenceto FIGURE 2. For example, pulley 30b may have the ball bearings 104inserted in appropriate retainer grooves in a manner identical to lthatdescribed in FIGURE l with reference to the hole 54.

Around the upper rim of the lower pulley 30b is a recess 16. Mating withthis recess 106 on the lower portion of the upper pulley 30a is ashoulder 108. The purpose of this shoulder and recess is to providefurther protection against the inadvertent entrance of trash and ldebrisinto the journal bearing area between the pulleys 30a and 3017 and thespindle 24. Of course, a grease seal 60 may be likewise included bothbetween the lower pulley 30b and the base 25, as well as between the twopulleys. After the lower pulley 30h has been appropriately placed on thespindle 24, the upper pulley 30a may be placed in a manner similar tothat previously shown with reference to FIGURE 1, hole 54.

Again, it will be noted that the retainer race in each of the pulleys30a and b has clearance so that if a shock load is encountered, thepulley 30a or b will lbear directly against the spindle 24 withoutcrushing or deforming the ball bearings.

Comparing FIGURES 1 and 3, it will be noted that the buttons are set atan angle with respect to the deck, and tilt upwardly toward the nextbarge. The purpose of this tilt is to prevent the cable 20 from slippingoff the pulley when one barge is above another. The tilt is provided byusi-ng a tapered base 2517 as a part of spindle 24, as seen in FIGURE 3.The presently preferred tilt is 510. Of course, this angle is notsufficient to cause any trouble when the two barges and 12 are exactlylevel, and because the buttons are set back from the edge, the maximumdisplacement of the cable downwardly, as for instance on barge 12, is5-l0.

Of course, the tapered base 25b may be substituted for the base 25 inFIGURE 2 and the grease seals 60 similarly used in either modification.

The method of the present inventi-on is felt to be apparent from theforegoing description of the various embodiments. Briefly the method isconcerned with the steps involved in locking a pulley 0n a spindle andthe resulting product, a rotatable deck button with retainer bearings.The steps generally include forming a retainer groove or race in boththe spindle and pulley, drilling or boring an access hole, insertingbearings through the access hole into the race, plugging the hole, andWelding the fitting to the deck, thereby providing a tamper-freerotatable button.

Thus, advantageously, it is seen that the deck button of the presentinvention has provided an exrernely strong structure which may beexternally welded to the deck of a vessel, which includes retainerbearings, which is rotatably mounted and usable in all directions, whichis water-tight, which includes provisions for lubrication, whicheliminates all snagging projections, and which is tamper-free.

Further, the present invention provides a novel method for lockingrotatable elements into 'a deck button for use in rigging barges or thelike.

The presentinvention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out theobjects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, -as well as othersinherent therein. While presently 'preferred embodiments of theinvention `are given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes inthe details" of construction and the combination, shape, size andarrangement of parts and steps may be resorted to wit-hout departingfrornthe spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotatable button-type deck itting including:

a spindle comprising a right cylindrical upstanding journal bearing witha base extending radially from the bottom thereof,

said `spindle having a core extending from the base to within thejournal bearing,

a retainer recess on the spindle extending about the periphery of thejournal bearing,

a pulley having a smooth top whose diameter is substantially that of thespindle base,

said pulley including an inset journal bearing providing a sliding fitwith the upstanding journal bearing of the spindle,

a retainer recess in the pulley journal bearing mating with the spindleretainer recess when the pulley is mounted on the spindle, the matingretainer recesses forming a retainer race,

said pulley including a wire rope groove about its periphery andadjacent the journal bearing,

either said pulley or spindle having an access hole extending to theretainer race,

rotatable retainer means insertable through said access hole androllable in sai-d retainer race,

a plug insertable in said access hole,

a second pulley mounted beneath said iirst mentioned pulley,

said `second pulley having a diameter substantially that of the spindlebase,

said second pulley including a journal bearing providing a sliding litwith the upstanding journal bearing of the spindle,

a second retainer recess on the spindle journal bearing,

a second retainer recess in the second pulley journal bearing matingwith the second spindle retainer recess when the second pulley ismounted on the spindle, the mating second retainer recesses forming asecond retainer race,

said second pulley including a wire rope groove about its periphery andadjacent the journal bearing,

said second pulley having an access hole extending from the core to thesecond retainer race,

second rotatable retainer means insertable through said second accesshole and rollable in said lsecond retainer race, and

a second plug insertable in said second access hole,

thereby providing a double deck button with rotatable pulleys.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the base is taperedwith respect to the journal bearing.

3. The invention of claim 1 including:

a recess extending about the upper outer diameter of the second pulley,and

7 a shoulder extending below 'the lower outer diameter of the firstmentioned pulley and mating with the recess extending about the upperouter diameter of the second pulley. 4. The invention of claim 3including grease .seals mounted between the two pulleys and between thesecond pulley and the base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 554,245 2/ 1896Dempsey 242-100.1 1,577,251 3/1926 Coyle 254-190 1,637,818 8/1927Hawkins 254--150 2,500,515 3/ 1950 Browning 74--230.01 2,633,375 3/1953Wilcoxon 254-'190 FOREIGN PATENTS 104,415 3/ 1917 'Great Britain.

8 176,084 2/ 1922 Great Britain. 738,102 10/ 1955 Great Britain.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 572,397 12/1896Andrews.

733,795 7/ 1903 Barr. 739,294 l9/1902 Corbett. 1,896,978 2/ 1933Hele-shaw.

FOREIGN PATENTS 106,047 5/1917 Great Britain. 179,759 5/1922 GreatBritain. 216,068 5 1924 Great Britain.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Examiner,

H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A ROTATABLE BUTTON-TYPE DECK FITTING INCLUDING: A SPINDLE COMPRISINGA RIGHT CYLINDRICAL UPSTANDING JOURNAL BEARING WITH A BASE EXTENDINGRADIALLY FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOF, SAID SPINDLE HAVING A CORE EXTENDINGFROM THE BASE TO WITHIN THE JOURNAL BEARING, A RETAINER RECESS ON THESPINDLE EXTENDING ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE JOURNAL BEARING, A PULLEYHAVING A SMOOTH TOP WHOSE DIAMETER IS SUBSTANTIALLY THAT OF THE SPINDLEBASE, SAID PULLEY INCLUDING AN INSET JOURNAL BEARING PROVIDING A SLIDINGFIT WITH THE UPSTANDING JOURNAL BEARING OF THE SPINDLE, A RETAINERRECESS IN THE PULLEY JOURNAL BEARING MATING WITH THE SPINDLE RETAINERRECESS WHEN THE PULLEY IS MOUNTED ON THE SPINDLE, THE MATING RETAINERRECESSES FORMING A RETAINER RACE, SAID PULLEY INCLUDING A WIRE ROPEGROOVE ABOUT ITS PERIPHERY AND ADJACENT THE JOURNAL BEARING, EITHER SAIDPULLEY OR SPINDLE HAVING AN ACCESS HOLE EXTENDING TO THE RETAINER RACE,ROTATABLE RETAINER MEANS INSERTABLE THROUGH SAID ACCESS HOLE ANDROLLABLE IN SAID RETAINER RACE, A PLUG INSERTABLE IN SAID ACCESS HOLE, ASECOND PULLEY MOUNTED BENEATH SAID FIRST MENTIONED PULLEY, SAID SECONDPULLEY HAVING A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY THAT OF THE SPINDLE BASE,